Agavé Natural Phenomenon

POST 1 - 5TH FEBRUARY

Right now The Nare Hotel is witnessing a phenomenon of the natural world. One of the hotel’s plants, which only flowers once in 20-30 years has begun to bloom. The plant is producing a new central shoot which will grow over 20ft tall and flower with a stunning formation of rosette shaped succulents.

This journal will be added to every two weeks with further interesting facts and photographs so you can track the progress of this remarkable plant.

The Nare Agave - Week 1, with Head Gardener Karl

The Nare Agave - Week 2, on a lovely sunny January day

The Nare Agave - Week 3, another sunny day in January

POST 2 - 19TH FEBRUARY

Agavé Americana (phonetically Ah-gah-vay Ah-mer-ih-kay-nah), is commonly known as ‘The Century Plant’ and originates from Mexico and the southern United States. The common name of this plant is misleading however, as they don’t live for a hundred years but for twenty to thirty years depending on conditions. After years of storing enormous food reserves in its leaves, the plant produces a tall shoot over several weeks, which can grow up to 6 inches a day! As the shoot grows it also produces a formation of rosette-like flowers. The Agavé Americana like other subtropical plants thrives in sunny and mild conditions, with good drainage.

The Nare Agave - Week 4, clear progress from earlier weeks

The Nare Agave - Week 5, now towers above Head Gardener Karl

POST 3 - 14TH MARCH

This Agavé Americana was planted by our head gardener, Karl Whitford, when he joined The Nare over 20 years ago. Since then it has grown in size and stature but never flowered. This is because the Agavé Americana plant only flowers once in 20-30 years. Karl is excited by the prospect of watching this natural phenomena unfold first-hand:

“As a professional gardener I have been growing and tending sub-tropical plants for over 34 years. In that time I have never seen an Agavé plant in the flowering process. I have known about these plants for a long time and seen them fully flowered in the Canary Islands but never here in the UK. There are actually very few Agavé plants that thrive here and I believe only one or two have flowered in the last 15 years. I am looking forward to watching this plant grow and bloom over the next few months and particularly interested to see how tall it ends up.”

The Nare Agave - Week 6, taken as spring is declared in Cornwall.The Nare Agave - Week 6, the shoot has thickened considerably this week

The Nare Agave - Week 7, the shoot has thickened considerably this week

The Nare Agave - Week 8, continues to ascend on another sunny day at The Nare

There are actually several of these plants thriving within the Nare hotel gardens, which is further evidence of the remarkable subtropical micro-climate that exists in Cornwall and in particular at The Nare. The hotel gardens not only supports plants such as the Agavé Americana, but also palm trees and other exotic plants. This micro-climate also means the hotel gardens produce daffodils in time for the tables at Christmas and also delivers Spring earlier than the rest of the UK – known as Cornwall Spring Story.

POST 4 - DUE W/C 26TH MARCH

Ken, The Nare Head Barman, is concocting something quite unusual in honour of the hotel's first flowering Agavé...

A GREAT EXCUSE TO VISIT

Why not come and see the Agavé Americana for yourself as it grows and blooms over the next few months. Stay on a Nare four night garden break and get access to three of the world renowned Great Gardens of Cornwall during your stay, as well as experience the Agavé Americana first-hand.

The Great Gardens of Cornwall look truly magnificent during February and March, thanks to the early arrival of Spring and the beautiful pink colour of the Campbellii Magnolias. The hotel gardens are also at their colourful best over the next few months.